People with disabilities have more difficulty accessing health care and more negative interactions with health care providers than people without disabilities, according to a Rutgers Health study. The study, published in Health Services Research by researchers from the Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research and the Rutgers School of Public Health, examined satisfaction ratings, timeliness of care and patient-provider interactions among U.S. adults to assess the differences in health care experiences for those with and without disabilities.
According to previous research, one in four people in the U.S. have a disability. Those with disabilities experience significant health disparities, and structural inequities in health systems present barriers to accessing quality health care for people with disabilities. Using data from a nationally representative survey, researchers examined the reported experiences of health care services by patients with varying disability statuses. According to the study, people with disabilities rated the health care services they received lower than the general population. For example, patients with disabilities were less likely to report that providers listened carefully, spent enough time with them, gave advice that was easy to understand or showed them respect. To read the full story.